


The Tear in the Seats

by mutents



Series: The Road Before Us [7]
Category: Father Brown (2013)
Genre: Bachelor Auction, Cheating, F/M, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 06:33:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11007948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mutents/pseuds/mutents
Summary: “Come in!” Felicia called, not bothering to turn towards the door. After over three years of constant contact, she knew Sid’s knock better than she knew Monty’s.





	The Tear in the Seats

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the Fall of 1950.

“Come in!” Felicia called, not bothering to turn towards the door. After over three years of constant contact, she knew Sid’s knock better than she knew Monty’s.

“Nina said you were looking for me,” Sid said, stepping into the room and giving her a small smile.

“Yes; I have a tuxedo for you to wear this evening,” she said, standing from her vanity and moving to her closet.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sid’s eyebrows raise. “A what?” He asked, his voice incredulous.

“You know, a tuxedo. It’s like a suit but fancier.”

“I know what a tuxedo is, Felicia – I just never expected you to tell me I had to wear one.”

“This is a very important party, Sidney,” She said, grabbing the garment bag from the rod and bringing it over to him. She handed it to him gently, fixing him with a serious look. “I need you to take this seriously. The Church very much needs the funds I’m going to be raising tonight, and if that means you looking your best, so be it.”

Sid sighed, taking the garment bag and laying it carefully on the bed before beginning to work on taking off the clothing he was currently wearing. Felicia moved back to her vanity, sitting with her back to the mirror, watching carefully as Sid striped.

“Not that I don’t appreciate the audience,” he said, pausing in the process to look her in the eye, “but don’t you have to finish getting ready yourself?”

“I only have to put my dress on,” she said, giving a one shouldered shrug. “And I’m hoping to get your help with the zipper of that,” she finished, her tone turning flirty.

Sid smirked at her. “I live to serve,” he said, returning to the process of removing his clothing. “How exactly are you raising the money this time?”

Felicia coughed lightly. “We’re, uhh… We’re hosting a bachelor’s auction,” she murmured.

Sid nodded before the words fully sunk in. When they finally had, he stopped again and looked at her. “You’re not actually planning on…!”

“Auctioning you off to the highest builder so that the Church can get a new roof? Yes.” Sid opened his mouth, obviously about to try and refute what she was saying, but she cut him off before he could get out a single word. “Now, Sidney, don’t act like this is any easier on me! I’m going to be bereft of your… company for an entire evening!”

Sid rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up in the air. “Really, Felicia? That’s the best you can come up with?”

She sighed, moving towards him and putting her hand on his bare chest. “Please, Sidney…” She whispered, leaning against him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his forehead against hers. “Alright. I’ll do it. But I’m certainly not going to enjoy myself.”

Felicia gave him a tired smile. “I wouldn’t expect any less from you,” she murmured.

* * *

“Come on, Sid,” Felicia murmured, leaning over to him. “At least pretend you’re having fun!”

Sid put on a rather blatant fake smile. “But I’m not,” he murmured.

“That’s why it’s called acting.”

“Next we have Sidney Carter,” Agnes said from the stage, and Sid took in a deep breath of air and stepping out onto it, giving a wave to the women in the crowd. “Mr. Carter is a true renaissance man; he can fix your wiring and write you poetry – one thing is for certain, he has extremely… talented fingers.”

Sid only barely managed to resist glaring at Felicia off stage; from where he stood, he could see her snickering out of the corner of his eye.

“We’ll start the bidding at 10£,” Agnes continued, smiling at the crowd.

Sid rubbed his jaw and watched as the various women in the room held up their placards, getting the bid up to 50£. He widened his eyes, surprised by how much these women were willing to spend on him.

“Going once, going twice…” Agnes said, slamming the gavel against her podium.

“100£!” A young woman near the back called, standing up and holding her placard high.

Sid felt his jaw loosen, looking at the woman in the back. She was young, her hair a vivid red, and he saw a glint in her eyes that he frequently saw in his own.

“Oh my,” Agnes said, before shaking her head and restarting the countdown. “Going once, going twice… Sold to the young lady in the back!”

She young girl smiled brightly, stepping towards the stage. She walked quickly up the steps, handing a stack of pounds to Agnes and then walking over to Sid. “I’m Lucy Isley,” she said, offering Sid her hand.

Sid looked over towards the wings where Felicia had been standing, but no longer was, then took the young girls hand and gave it a shake. “It’s a pleasure,” he said, giving her a grin. Lucy walked off stage, and Sid followed her quietly. “So… what exactly do you want to do for this?”

She tilted her head, obviously considering the options. “I was really just hoping for a night at the Red Lion…” she murmured.

Sid nodded, and Lucy gave him another smile before turning and ducking back around the curtain.

* * *

Overall, Felicia preferred to avoid Sid’s trailer – they never used it for their liaisons, not when she had a fantastically comfortable bed only a mile away. In fact, she could count on two hands the number of times she’d stepped foot into his trailer in the two years he’d owned it.

But, this was an exception. When he hadn’t returned from his date by two, she’d grown nervous; heaven knows that if anyone could manage getting in trouble on a date, it was Sid. She’d given explicit instructions to Nina to send her son Carter if the police called, and gone to the trailer.

She looked at her watch, seeing that it was nearing four. She stood from where she’d been sitting on the bed, looking through the various things he had laying around his trailer for a fifth time. She’d found a few pictures, a book she could tell he’d taken from her library, a couple of dirty magazines, a letter from the Father that she assumed had been sent when Sid was still in London – if the wearing at the corners and the folds were any indication – and a handful of other knickknacks.

As she was paging through the magazine for a second time, she heard someone stumbling around outside. Tossing the rag to the side, she stood just as the door opened and Sid entered.

“Felicia!” He exclaimed, a large grin on his face. She could tell that he was well past the point of sobriety, but thankfully hadn’t reached the melancholy stage. “What are you doing here?” He said, giggling slightly.

“I was… well, I was worried about you Sid,” She said, stepping closer to him. “It was getting rather late and I hadn’t heard from you.”

“Oh,” Sid said, looking at her confused for a second before a look of understanding came over his face. “Oh! I had a date,” he said, nodding seriously.

“I know that,” Felicia murmured, placing her hands on his forearms. “And how did it go?”

“Wonderfully! I think Lucy really liked me!” Sid exclaimed, placing his own hands on her hips.

“Oh…” Felicia murmured, looking down from his face. She didn’t want to say anything more; a part of her had known this day was coming. After all, Sid was still a young man – he’d hardly want to remain shackled to a married woman for the rest of his days.

“Spent the entire night talking about the boy she’s been seeing. He’s in London right now, working up money so that she can join him there. Apparently, he’s quite the looker.”

Felicia hadn’t realized how much she’d been holding herself up until those words slipped past his lips. As he spoke, she deflated.

Despite Sid being rather tipsy, he managed to keep her upright as she sagged against him. “Is everything alright, Felicia?” He asked, suddenly sobering up. “Are you well?”

“I’m fine,” she murmured, looking up at him with a warm smile.

“You were worried I’d fallen for Lucy, weren’t you,” he said, an impish grin on his face.

“Nonsense!” Felicia exclaimed, shaking her head.

Sid grinned at her, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her nose. “You don’t have to worry about me, Felicia,” he said. “I’m quite comfortable with just you, in case you haven’t realized yet.”

She leaned up, pressing her lips to his.


End file.
